Description: Adele Griffin is the author of THE FAVOR (June 2023) and many books for young people.
It can feel overwhelming to process the news cycles, and sometimes I have to consciously remind myself to detach from the digital world. So this month I’m sending along some things I’ve been enjoying lately, despite everything, and I hope the things that are bringing me some joy this fall can bring you some, too.
I’ve enjoyed so many wonderful and varied conversations in the months since The Favor came out, both in-person at events , and over Zoom on podcasts with old friends and new friends. Lately, it’s been a bit of a podcast marathon for me, but fortunately podcasting, unlike marathoning, does not require running around outside. (My dear Trudy would agree .)
In ninth grade, for reasons I’m now too old to remember, I learned the first half of the poem “One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop . Saying it aloud felt like an impressive party trick — and by “party” I mean my friends at the lunch table, because I was 15 going on 13 and nobody was inviting me to anything. But knowing even half that poem made me feel smart. Like I’d lived through some stuff.